If a horse is retired and just hangs out in the pasture or the barn (with the fans on him) but he still sweats in this hot humid weather would he still need electrolytes?  What is everyone's opinions on this.  Just curious.  My horses would rather hang out in the barn with fans on them than be out in the pasture under a shade tree.  They can come and go in and out of the barn but when it is hot they prefer to hang out in the barn and if there is not a good breeze but just the fans it can still get hot in the barn and they sweat.  So would they need electrolytes?

I give all our horses electrolites. I have 3 twenty five year olds that I feel will benifit from them. Doesn't matter that some aren't ridden, they all get them. 

I'm not an expert, but I'd say as long as they are drinking enough water they are ok. I keep my horses up during the day with fans in their stalls. They dont sweat though. They seem to sweat more standing outside. I do give a squirt of electrolytes in the mornings anyway. I added an extra water bucket in the stalls because they are drinking a lot more in the heat. I give extra electrolytes in the evening if they had a tough workout. It helps to keep them drinking. I have 1 horse that I feel doesnt drink nearly enough ever since I added a squirt of the electrolytes hes doing better. 

Yes, it’s important.

The main thing is to replace is sodium and chloride....basic salt.  Those are the electrolytes in highest concentrations in sweat.  A small amount of potassium, calcium, and magnesium is lost in sweat, but they won’t usually run into problems there.  The kidney as well as calcium/magnesium metabolism will regulate those losses through normal metabolic function.  I’d recommend either putting out a Redmond’s salt lick, or even better, give them an ounce of it with their grain, assuming you grain them.  I think this is especially important during the hot summer months, or if they lose a lot of sweat because they are being worked hard.  If it were me, I’d give them salt with their feed AND put a salt block out for them.  One important reason for giving salt is that it makes them thirsty and guarantees hydration better. I like Redmond’s, because it’s cheap and it does have small amounts of potassium as well as minerals.  A big bag of Redmonds is dirt cheap...like $15 and it lasts forever.  You don’t have to be precise in giving them salt and minerals.  Good kidney function and normal bone metabolism will make any adjustments unnecessary.

If you decide to use just plain white salt, you’ll probably be fine as well.  I think free choice is a good idea.

Yes I have a salt block and also Redmonds salt lick.  Although I don't see them licking on the block very much at all.  But I also put table salt in with their grain or they don't actually get "grain", just soaked alfalfa cubes and Renew Gold.  I was just curious about actual electrolytes.  I have some and I put some in with their feeding but not every day only when it has been really hot and they have been sweating.  My horses are lazy and they are 24 and 30 year olds.  So I was just curious on the electrolytes and if they needed them.  Thanks for replying.

Plus THE MM and THE Performance both have the Himalayan salt in their supplement.

We get really hot and humid here--we keep a white block out and they lick it a lot.   We only do the salt but I've wondered about electrolytes too. . . Do you think we're ok like we are?

Personally & JMHO, salt blocks for horses don't work for them like they do for a cow. Horses tongues aren't like cattle, so putting salt in their grain I think is more benificial than a salt block. 

I feel so stupid asking these kind of questions---how much in their feed?  Cause I tried just a little (I thought) in their feed, and tbey said "no way, Momma"!!!!   Wouldn't eat it. . .  But they lick their block a lot.  

No questions are stupid. If your horses like the blocks, then that is ok for them. I just prefer to add it to my horses feed. I use Kauffman electrolites. I get it from amazon. My horses like it & I feel it helps them. I guess there is no right or wrong thing to feed when it comes to electrolites. https://smile.amazon.com/Kauffman-Salt-Potassium-Electrolytes-Horses...

I have a plain white salt block out. They rarely use it but it's there. I add Dynamite Dyna Spark to their feed once a day. Its 1 to 2 oz as needed. My horses will lick it right off my hand, it's a liquid. You can add it to their water too if you wanted to. 

So this is an electrolyte?

Yes it's an electrolyte 

White salt blocks are the same as table salt, or sodium chloride (electrolytes). Those are the two major electrolytes lost in sweat.  White salt blocks are OK if you are worried about electrolytes loss from sweating.  The brown blocks contain other electrolytes, in addition to sodium and chloride, including potassium, magnesium, phosphate, etc... Redmond’s has all the electrolytes. You really shouldn’t need expensive pastes, etc...  I know a lot of people like the electrolyte pastes, etc...but a bag of Redmond’s is dirt cheap. Some horses gobble it up with their feed, while others leave some of it.  It takes a little getting used to it for them, sometimes. 

I think from what all of the smart ones on here have said, I'm gonna stick with the white block for right now.   We aren't riding at all at this point, but I'm gonna also keep an eye on them.   We have weather like I've never seen this year--it was mid 90s yesterday and today 78.   At end of June, just unreal.